When you post a comment, there's a tool bar at the top of the window you're typing in. The top right button is the "insert image" button. Just paste the URL of the image in the space indicated, and voila.

edit: I see in the meantime while I was typing, you figured it out and edited your comment, thus making mine quite lame.

Burke went from a first round maybe to a sure bet lottery pick by staying another year. I don't think this went unnoticed by McGary, Robinson and Hardaway. Only need to look at the Manny Harris model to see how important it is to develop your skills before you get to the bigs.

Only need to look at the Manny Harris model to see how important it is to develop your skills before you get to the bigs.

Sorry dude, people say this a lot and it's pretty ignorant.

Actually, Manny's decision did work out pretty well for him. He got the chance to audition for multiple seasons in the NBA, made NBA-money for 2 years, and got the chance to work on his game for a full year when he would have had to invest time in classes.

Just because he didn't make an NBA roster for 10 years doesn't mean his decision was a bad one.

Manny Harris isn't the best example, but in most cases the kids are better served by staying the extra year. An education is an invaluable thing. Injuries can end a career in an instant, and without something to fall back on, non star type players are in trouble.

But NBA money as a lottery pick is way different than non lottery money and equates to retirement money. Harris will not retire on his two year NBA salary. All depends on how big you want to roll the dice and probably varies depending on the individual.

Is the best or second best performing player on the court. Beware rumors starting about him. Ultimate college player. Interested to see of he has nba translatable skills (hopefully in two to three years).

We'd be gutted if all 4 left not because of talent. Derrick Walton, Irvin and Donnal were recruited by us for a reason but you don't lose 4 players and keep the same depth. It isn't going to happen. The way I see it at worst we lose 2.

THis season we have a 9 man rotation, with Max Bielfeldt as the 10th guy who plays now and then in an emergency (a nice luxury). We lose the 11th and 12th guys on the bench who never play. Let's assume we lose two players to the NBA from our rotation. We already have three top-100 recruits coming in to fill rotation roles. Frankly, I'm not even sure how Donnal gets into the rotation next year despite being a good fit at the PF spot.

I think another recruit next season, especially one still available at this point in the process, would be a bench warmer. I would rather save the scholarship for the following year and target some high-profile recruits.

We have plenty of talent next season with Walton (PG), Irvin (SG/SF), and Donnal (PF/C) coming in even with some early departures.

This is exactly right. Donnal is literally the perfect 4 for JB's system, but I was talking to a friend of mine who is an IU fan, and I told him Donnal will start next year. Then I started thinking about it and realized there's no way Donnal starts. It'll be McGary, GRIII, Stauskas, Hardaway, Walton most likely.

Even if Hardaway leaves, which he won't, Stauskas will move to the 2 and Irvin will become the 3, because he's lights out good. Now I will say this, against teams with legit bigs Donnal may end up starting because he's got really good size for the 4 next to McGary. He's also a true stretch 4, so he'll be a match-up problem for a lot of teams.

But either way the team next year is going to have a lot to work with. McGary, GRIII, Stauskas, Hardaway, and Walton all starting. Not to mention then you've got Mr. Basketball from Indiana, who's played in the same area as GRIII and Gary Harris, and he looks better than both. Donnal who is a perfect fit at the 4, and is a very good player in his own right. Then, Spike who may not score in loads, but can be insanely valuable in certain situations, as this tournament has shown.

That makes this team already very, very deep. I haven't even mentioned Caris, who is a very good defender, and hopefully he'll develop a good shot. So, in my opinion, I don't think it's ideal to bring another guy in this year. Especially when Michigan won't need anyone else. I personally would rather use it for 2014, to bring in a better player, rather than reaching for someone in this class.

While I think Robinson and McGary would strongly benefit from coming back for another year, especially Robinson, they'd have my blessing to leave if they win a title next week. All I can say, though, is that I hope the only guy we lose after this year is Burke, regardless of what happens next weekend.

I think team chemistry and fit in a position of need is very important. It is also important not to settle only for depthy with the right skill level.

I must say, Beilein has done an excellent job of finding role players. The best example, in my mind, is Spike. No one wanted him, but the kid has been awesome.

I don't think that McGary will turn pro. As regards Robinson, Hardaway, and Burke, one of the most unique factors is that they are all getting excellent advice. Burke's parents, iirc, felt he was better served by another year of college. This worked out well, I think. The other two are much more likely to get an honest assessment, both from their fathers and friends of their fathers. I think that Robinson would be better served by staying a year or two, until that point when he is a lottery pick. I think McGary is best served by staying two or three, until that point when he is a lottery pick. I think Hardaway is best served by being "the man." Perhaps that would make him a high pick, but I am doubtful.

However, in the end, I believe that we only lose Burke, which would make this entire discussion moot.

It's pretty hard to get guys who are good this late. We get LeVert late and you can see he has some talent but is also a bit of a project who will take time to develop. And we also took Albrecht but that was because we were going to basically have no PGs on the roster if Burke left. Had to do that and it worked out better than could have ever been hoped for. This year at the least you have one guy at each position on the roster returning for sure. The thing that would make a lot more sense to me would be to take a 5th year grad transfer. Get one or two of those guys for 13-14 who are attracted to a successful program for depth next year if we lose 2 or 3 guys to the league. Helps next year but doesn't tie up schollies on less talented guys. And then bring 2014 guys who are blue chips.

Burke is ghost and assuming that Hardaway/GR3 leave we have:

PG - Walton/Albrecht

SG - Irvin/LeVert

SF - Stauskas

4 - McGary/Donnal ?

C - Morgan/Bielfeldt/Horford

That lineup means you need to either have Donnal be good enough to play right away or you go with a traditional 4 type. The high post guy would then have to be McGary as he is the only big on the roster who can use the bounce and who has shown much potential with a 10'-12' type jumpers. Alternatively, in theory Irvin is about the same size as GR3 but if he plays at the 4 then you have only 3 guys manning 2/3/4 and not a single bench backup save Albrecht spelling everyone. That's 160 minutes for 1-4 which means that no one gets injured and everyone has to play 30+ minutes including the freshmen (again). And then a 5 man logjam at the 5 which is crazy; or at least 4 if Donnal backs up at the 4.

I realize that playing two bigs is not how Beilein rolls, but he has shown that one of his greatest strengths is his flexibility. And with our roster construction if GR3 and THJ leave it is something you have to consider. Would help with rebounding though obviously there are a lot of other downsides. Overall, seems like we need another 2/3 type for depth. Then you can go both big or small at the 4. A stretch 4 with ball skills would be great of course but those are not easy to find. Hardaway seems more replaceable but it seems GR3 leaving poses more problems. Although if Hardaway stays and GR3 goes then I guess that raises the question of whether Irvin becomes the 4 or...?

i know that probably wont happen but he wants a nat championship and if they get this close it has to cross his mind but i still dont expect him back next year. and one thing helping our case with GR3 and Jr. is they dont need the money. Hardaway wants to be a lottery pick and success and GR3 will just ride the bench cause he isnt ready to be a sf yet in the NBA he still needs alot of work and Mitch seems like Taylor Lewan in the sense the guy just wants to enjoy hisself and that seems to mean more to him. I could be wrong but that is the sense by listening to the people who know him the best talk. I want to save it for next year casue remember we have a scholarship saved for austin hatch and after all he has went through i dont expect him to be anything more than a walk on.. sorry but i do hope i am wrong.

i know that probably wont happen but he wants a nat championship and if they get this close it has to cross his mind but i still dont expect him back next year. and one thing helping our case with GR3 and Jr. is they dont need the money. Hardaway wants to be a lottery pick and success and GR3 will just ride the bench cause he isnt ready to be a sf yet in the NBA he still needs alot of work and Mitch seems like Taylor Lewan in the sense the guy just wants to enjoy hisself and that seems to mean more to him. I could be wrong but that is the sense by listening to the people who know him the best talk. I want to save it for next year casue remember we have a scholarship saved for austin hatch and after all he has went through i dont expect him to be anything more than a walk on.. sorry but i do hope i am wrong.